Cocktails with retro gaming themes will be on the menu when the new NQ64 bar opens in the city centre next week.
From its launch day on August 5, it will be playtime at the late-night venue which is taking over the former home of Intermezzo bar, next to Alvinos, in Pilgrim Street where customers will have a pick of around 30 retro arcade games to enjoy against a backdrop of neon lights and hip hop tunes. Matthew Robson, co-founder of NQ64, is from the region - where he attended Jesmond Park Academy - and says that the opening of a branch here is particularly special.
The Newcastle venue is also special in that it will be the first of the retro gaming company's locations to occupy two floors - the others being single-room underground bars - and its extra space will include a secluded booth dedicated to the Guitar Hero game, as well as a second bar and photo booth. One of the games - Top skater - will be exclusive to Newcastle too.
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And the first 50 people through the door when it opens at 4pm will receive a bag of goodies including a T-shirt and snacks. The same applies to August 6 when, being a Saturday, doors will open earlier, at noon.
The bar, whose arty background will include spray-painted grafitti 'galaxy'-theme wall murals and UV lights, will be open daily until the early hours, creating an immersive environment for people to play old-school games consoles and pinball machines. Among the popular games on offer will be Pac Man, Space invaders, Time Crisis and Outrun, along with pinball machines and classic consoles.
There will be a wide pick of drinks too including a range of cocktails inspired by the games, with such names as Kirby, Donkey Kolada and Aku Aku Fruit Punch - which references Crash Bandicoot. Other options will include draft beers, bottles and cans alongside retro crisps and snacks. Here is an idea of what's on the cocktail menu - and the prices - plus a list of the games to expect.
Retro game-theme cocktails
This is a selection of drinks from the cocktail menu and a happy 'hour' offer will apply to these ones - plus there are options to include play tokens for the games, running 4pm-7pm from Monday to Friday.
Pacs a Punch - Beefeater pink gin, peach, apple, lemon, agave, soda
Powerstar Martinis - Finlandia vodka, passionfruit, vanilla, mango, Hoola Hooch
Space 75 - Finlandia vodka, bubblegum, blue, prosecco
Metropolis - Beefeater gin, Aperol, cranberry, glitter
Blanka - Tequila, Midori, cucumber, lemon, apple, agave
Sweet Fighter - Beefeater blood orange gin, rhubarb, candied strawberry, pineapple, marshmallow
For the full range of cocktails see the company's site here.
Happy hour deals
Selected cocktails - £6
Selected cocktail (as above) plus 15 tokens - £12
Selected draft beer - £4
Selected Pint plus 15 tokens - £10
Retro games
Top skater - exclusive to Newcastle, Dance Stage, Guitar Hero, Top Skater, Crazy Taxi, Outrun, Mario Kart, Time Crisis, Time Crisis 2, Ghost squad evolution, Point Blank, House Of The Dead, T2, X Men 4 player, Turtles 4 player, Mortal Kombat, Tekken 5, Street Fighter 2, Killer instinct 2, Pac Man, Space Invaders, Galaga, Donkey Kong, Bubble Bobble, Tetris, Ms Pac, Track and field, Golden Tee, Bad Dudes, Neo Geo, Double Dragon Revenge.
Opening times and prices
NQ64 will open on August 5. Its opening hours then will be 4pm-2am from Monday to Friday; noon to 2am on Saturday and noon to 1am on Sunday.
Entry to the arcade bar is free and a pot of 15 games is £8. Most games are one token to play while some of the bigger games require two tokens.
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